Terrorists in Alagaësia
by Danny Maia
Summary: Eragon and Saphira are two FBI agents in an operation against Galbatorix. Full sumary inside. ExA and some RxK. First fanfic, hope you like it. R
1. Prologue & Chapter One

**A/N:** First fanfic, hope you like it. ExA

**Summary:** Eragon and Saphira, his sister, are two FBI agents in charge of an investigation against a terrorist organization called 'The Empire'. Eragon and the rest of the 'Varden' team are under a lot of pressure to capture the evasive leader of the organization, Galbatorix.

** Disclaimer: **I do not own Inheritance Cycle

* * *

**Prologue: Shade of Terror**

"Ready on me!" A voice spoke through the radio interceptor.

The man smiled. The information was correct. The Shade lifted his head and looked to the surveillance video His maroon eyes showed enthusiasm and without thinking, passed his hand through his crimson hair. He blinked rapidly and analyzed the situation. The message was correct, the FBI was there. But could this be a trap? "Spread out!" He said. "Duck or hide behind the walls and kill whoever enters through the front door . . . or die."

Behind him twelve Urgals with simple AK-47 with grenade launchers. They were small men with bowed legs and thick, brutish arms made for crushing. A mask and simple night vision goggles hid their faces. The men hurried into finding their hiding spots, grunting as they hid. Soon the heavy footsteps stopped and the house was silent again.

The Shade got up and rounded the table, looking through the window to the access path to the house. It was a very dark night because of the clouds hiding the moon, but he didn't care. His thermal imaging device let him see what he wanted. Every heat signature in a mile was visible through the device. He remained unnaturally still with the bomb's detonation control in his hand.

Finally, after an 'a radio silent' command said by one of the FBI agents, the heat signatures from their team began their approximation to the house. "Get ready!" He prepared the trigger of the bombs. It had taken many plots and much death to his men to prepare this moment. He would not loose focus this time.

Fifteen heat signatures quickly made their way through the yard dividing in two teams, one of ten men and other of only five. The first team directed towards the main entrance of the house while the second team ran to the side door. The Shade smiled and walked silently to the side door. One of his targets would be certainly in that team. He left the thermal imaging device, drawing his favorite PB with silencer. He hid in the small compartment where he knew no one would look for him and waited.

After few seconds, the sound of the door being thrown of the hinges made its way to his ears followed by shouts of: "FBI!"

The shots started and the side door was opened. Five men made their way in the house. One of those was definitively a woman. He silently followed them, waiting for the opportunity.

And finally it happened: the woman stayed behind. Unlike the others, she was not wearing full tactical equipment, only wearing a bullet-proof vest and a cap.

Quickly, the Shade grabbed her, covering her mouth so that she did not scream and killed the two men in front of her. The woman let out a small scream suppressed by the Shade's hand. "Now let's hear what you know, shall we?" The Shade whispered in her ear.

He took her to the side door and into a car that was waiting for him. "Oh! I think I am forgetting something!" The Shade whispered again, taking the bomb's trigger of the pocket and showing it to the woman. "Let's see some 'Garjzla', shall we?" And he pressed the trigger.

An explosion occurred in the house. The woman cried again and the Shade hit her in the head with the gunstock. And, ignoring the beauty of the woman, he threw her to the trunk. Looking one last time for the burning house, the Shade smiled and sat in the passages' sit.

* * *

**Chapter One: News**

Bip. Bip.

_Where am I? _

Bip. Bip.

Fírnen felt soft sheets underneath him.

_What happened?_

Bip. Bip.

He opened his eyes. "Agent Davies?"

Bip. Bip.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Fírnen said in a low voice, still with his eyes getting used to the light.

"Agent Davies! Glad to see you are okay." A man said.

The man had a leaned muscular build and average height. His face was angular, pale and smooth with slanted and intense brown eyes. He had dark thick eyebrows and short brown hair that didn't cover his pointy ears of an elf. He was dressed with a dark suit and a sky blue shirt.

"Who are you?" Fírnen said.

"I'm Special Agent Eragon Smith and my colleague is Special Agent Angela Paolini." The man answered. "And to answer your first question, you are in the Healer's House from Osilon."

Fírnen looked to the woman. Special Agent Paolini was a woman of short stature with thick, curly brown hair and flashing eyes. She was also wearing a black suit but with a light green shirt.

"What . . . What happened?"

"You don't remember what happened?" Eragon asked him. Fírnen shook his head, saying. "My memory is a little blurry. I only remember something's."

Eragon nodded. "Yes, the healers said that you might experience some memory loss. Well, does the name 'Varden' means anything to you?"

Fírnen shook his head again. "'Varden' is the code name for the FBI team that is investigating a terrorist organization called 'The Empire'." Eragon paused. "'The Empire' is a terrorist organization responsible for the murders and attempts of murder of various nobleman and sabotage and bombings all across Alagaësia."

By this time, Fírnen was already sat on the bed with his back leaned against the room's wall. The room was small painted clean white. He was lying on a bed in the middle of the room with a heart rate monitor in a small table connected to his finger. There was also a chair besides the bed, where Angela was sitting, and a sofa in the side.

"You are one of the agents of that operation. The agent in charge was . . ."

"Fäolin. Yes!" Fírnen interrupted. "I'm starting to remember! Yes! We were going to make an arrest. One of Galbatorix's top lieutenants! Yes, I remember!" Enthusiasm spread over Fírnen's face.

"Good!" Eragon smiled.

"Who did you told about the operation?" Angela interviewed.

"What . . . What?" Fírnen was completely confused. What was she saying?

"Well, we found some Intel about your operation in the target house." Eragon said, sending an angry look at Angela. "We think that there was a leak and that lead to what happened in the target house."

"Wait . . . You think I am the leak? You think I betrayed my country and my family for a terrorist organization?" Fírnen didn't believe those agents. Why were they implying that? He was no traitor. He had too much to live for. "I was on that team! My friends were on that team! My sister was on that . . ." Then Fírnen remembered. "Where is my sister?"

Eragon looked sadly to Angela.

"Wait! What happened to Arya?"

* * *

Arya felt the hot blood falling down her skin.

"Are you ready to tell me your secrets, elf?"

Her vision was blurry. She had been in that room for over ten hours, being cut, punched, kicked, whipped . . . And at the same time the Shade was constantly trying to break into her mind.

"I will not give you the locations of the elves' cities." She stated. "I will not stay what are the protections of Dorú Areaba and the FBI training facilities. And I'm not telling you the names of the agents of the Varden. And I'm certainly not telling you anything that you want to know about Alagaësia."

"Yes you will elf." The Shade laughed and whipped her back.

Arya screamed in pain.

* * *

"What happened to my sister?" Fírnen was almost yelling.

"She was taken away, probably by your target." Eragon said.

"What?" Fírnen said, in a low voice.

"I'm sorry." Eragon said. "We searched everywhere in the target house. We have no clue where she is."

Fírnen felt tears falling through his face. He tried to contain them when Eragon started talking but he could not restrain them anymore. He let them fall through his check. "Please, can you . . ."

"Yes, we are going to do everything we can to find her." Eragon assured.

"Or find out who killed her." Angela said, receiving another angry look from Eragon.

Seeing the sadness in Fírnen's eyes and face, Eragon said: "Angela, wait for me outside." He turned to Fírnen again. "I promise you that I will do anything in my power to find your sister and bring her back to you unarmed."

"Thank you." Eragon nodded and turned to leave the room but heisted opening the door. "Arya is a strong woman. I'm sure she is okay." Eragon said and opened the door, leaving the door.

* * *

"Sir, I need an authorization to create a special task force group to find and rescue Agent Arya Smith." Eragon said.

"Eragon! My friend! The first time we see each other and the first thing you say is about work!" Arva said. "Let's walk."

Eragon and Arva walked through the gardens near the FBI office. Arva was the FBI's operations' manager in the Osilons's office. He was a tall and slim elf, with lime green eyes and long grey hair. He was dressed with the usual black suit and white shirt from the FBI and a sheeted Rider's sword was on his belt.

A Rider. Eragon usually dreamed with that his whole life. The Riders were the highest level of Special Agents of the FBI. They were very few because of the nature of the post. To be a Rider, there had to be a Dragon. A Rider and a Dragon. The best teams of Special Agents. The Rider was the oldest agent and his brother or sister had to be the Dragon.

"So Eragon, why do you want to rescue agent Smith?" Arva interrupted Eragon's thoughts.

"I've seen agent Smith's record, sir. She was one of the best agents on duty, sir. I believe that she could be a Rider." Eragon said.

"Eragon, you are not a Rider. How would you know who is prepared or not to be a Rider?"

Eragon didn't answer. His eyes were struck in an elf standing in front of them. The elf had long silver hair and Eragon could see, with his half-elf eyes, gray eyes.

"Ebrithil!" Eragon said, in low voice. "You call him here?"

"No, Eragon, I didn't." Arva said. "I'm sorry but you didn't think that your actions would be unnoted by the elders."

"You really look more and more like a Richards. I remember Brom to be always suggesting persons to be Riders and Dragons. And when they were into trouble, he was the first to ask the questions 'Why?', 'When?' and 'How?'." The elf spoke.

"Oromis. Ebrithil." Eragon bowed.

Oromis signaled Arva to leave. "Eragon-elda. Why do I think that you have more reasons to rescue agent Smith than you said to Arva?"

"What do you mean ebrithil?"

"You know Arya since she was born. She was like your younger sister. And after your real sister was born and your mother and father disappeared for a year, you didn't have much time to look out for Arya. But those travels to Tialdarí Hall weren't missed." Oromis said. "You always had a way to be her older brother and her protector. Maybe those fallings have grown?"

Eragon felt his ears starting to heat but he kept an impassive face and voice. "Sir, my reasons to rescue agent Smith are those that I spoke to Arva. Nothing else."

"I see." Oromis sighed. "I will give you the authorization to form the task force. But first you and your sister will have to pass the trials."

"What trials?"

"To be a Rider and a Dragon."

* * *

"Done." Saphira said.

"Done." Roran said, few seconds latter. "Damn! How did you do it faster then me?"

"Because I'm a half-elf and you constantly forget about that."

"But you only learned how to build this bird's house today!" Roran said.

"I'm a fast learner!" Saphira said with a smile. "And you're very slow."

Roran laughed. "Now who is forgetting about being a quick half-elf?"

Saphira laughed as well. She had been in her cousin's house in Carvahall since her holidays began. There was always fun in the White's house. Either was in the farm or building bird's houses, reading or telling family stories.

"Well, I have to go." Roran said.

"All right. Say Hi to Katrina for me." Saphira smiled.

She went to her room to try to read. She couldn't concentrate in her reading. Her brother had not talked to her in a few days. She looked to her scrying mirror. And there he was. A brown-haired half-elf.

"Eragon!" She yelled.

Eragon laughed. "Hey, sis! How are you?"

"I'm fine, of course! But how are you? You didn't say anything for a week!"

"I'm fine too." Eragon face turned to pure happiness. "I need you to be here as fast as you can, sis."

"Why?"

"I'm in Osilon, come as fast as you can." Eragon smiled even wider. "Saphira, we are going to make the Trials!"

* * *

**A/N: **I have changed the characters' characteristics a little... I hope you like it. R&R if you think that something is not right...


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N****:** Here is chapter two. I hope you like it.

**Disclaimer****:** I don't own Inheritance Cycle

* * *

**Chapter Two: The Fall **

Oromis was in Edur Naroch. His brother and partner of mind was there as well. Glaedr was a Dragon, Oromis partner. Glaedr was an ordinary elf, slightly taller than his brother. They were very similar in features but their eye and hair color was different - Oromis had grey eyes and grey hair while Glaedr had golden hair and eyes. Oromis was dressed with the usual Rider's black suit and Glaedr was wearing a yellow tunic and sand brown pants.

_What's troubling you, Little One?_ Glaedr's voice rumbled and shook through Oromis' mind, like the growl of a mountain avalanche.

_This. _Oromis answered. _I'm sensing that something is not right. Why would Kialandí and Formora request me to come here? I had to speed up everything because of that!_ Oromis added, rage coloring slightly his thoughts. He was referring to Eragon and Saphira's Trials.

_We made everything we could._ Glaedr assured. _They will be fine._

_Then why did you told me to send them to Carvahall instead of directly towards Doru Areaba?_

_It's just a strange feeling that I'm getting. In Carvahall, they will be safe. _Glaedr answered Oromis but, looking to his brother concerned face, he added: _Don't worry, Little One. It's nothing serious._

Before Oromis could reply, the sound of cars approaching turned their thoughts to the strange meting they were going to have. Turning to the origin of the sounds, Oromis and Glaedr tried to see the source of the sound but, with their elvish hearing, they heard the sounds much before seeing the source.

After few moments, the cars were finally at sight. Two cars, one purple and the other was sand brown. Inside each car, Oromis could see two persons in each. The cars were moving faster than normally, being FBI cars. After few more moments, the cars were at the bottom of the watchtower.

From the purple car, two elves got out. One was a male, slim and tall, with long black hair and dark eyes, Kialandí. The other, also a male, was taller than the first, and had shoulder length purple hair and purple eyes. _Strange choice of appearance._ Glaedr commented, referring to the second elf.

Another two elves got out of the sand brown car. From the passenger seat, a female with long dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, Formora. The other elf was a male with sand brown hair and dark brown eyes. All the elves walked towards Oromis and Glaedr.

_They seem to have no hurry._ Oromis commented.

After few more moments, both Dragons and both Riders were standing in front of Oromis and Glaedr. They exchanged elves' greetings. "So, why are we here?" Oromis started.

Garven was the lead agent of a FBI's investigation. He was investigating the murder of an army soldier. Being a veteran himself, Garven thought of that case as the most important in his career.

"Captain Garven!" A voice sounded. "How good is to see you!"

Garven turned to the sound. A thin man with a large, untrimmed beard approached him. "Fletcher?" The man was wearing the usual army uniform with the universal camouflage pattern and sand brown army combat boots. In his head there was a patrol cap and a patch with the letters MP was on his left arm.

"Fletcher Hardensson, reporting for duty, sir!" Fletcher smiled.

"Military Police?" Garven said, pointing towards the letters.

"FBI?" Fletcher said. "I guess you are my contact."

"I guess so." Garven nodded. "Since when you are a MP? The last time I saw you, we were in Hadarac Desert, fighting against the Urgals."

"Yes, sir!" Fletcher said. "There was a situation that brought me to my new post. But I like this one much more."

"And now you are stuck with me here." Garven smiled. "So, who is the victim and how did it happen?"

"The victim is Tarmac Rodriguez, a Marine in guard duty in the Presidential Palace. Single GSW in his chest. I guess that's what killed him." Fletcher answered. "I'm also guessing he was ambushed, but I can't be sure. The crime scene is this way."

Fletcher took Garven through the city. From the army base, Fletcher and Garven drove through the streets of Ilirea to the King's Palace. But, instead of stopping in the front of the palace, Fletcher rode the jeep to a back door of the palace. There was a yellow tape marking a large square in front of the door and five other MPs were guarding the place.

"This is it." Fletcher said. He got out of the jeep and Garven followed him. Two of the MPs quickly approached them.

"Sergeant!" One of them said, saluting both of them. His partner did the same.

"Corporal." Fletcher said. "This is Captain Garven, the FBI agent in charge of the investigation."

"Sir." The soldier said. "We left the crime scene intact but our ME and CSU team are already analyzing it."

"Good work, Corporal." Fletcher said. "I'm going to show Captain Garven the crime scene."

Fletcher led Garven to the perimeter. In the ground, laying on his back, there was a man in Marine's Blue Dress uniform. The midnight blue coat with red trim and the white belt were soaked in blood and the dirt near the body was red. Besides the head, there was a white peaked cap with black visor. The trousers were sky blue and black shoes. The body lay on the ground with his feet facing the door. Crouched besides the body, there was a MP wearing the normal camouflage clothes and sand brown boots but he was also wearing a dark blue coat with the symbol of the military police and the letters ME written in yellow.

"Captain, this is our ME, Carn." The ME turned and Garven saw the face of a human male of early middle age. He was tall, slightly shorter than Garven, with a lean body and face. Carn stood up and salute Garven.

"At ease, soldier." Garven said. "What's the COD?"

Carn nodded and started to talk. "Single GSW to the chest. The bullet went straight through the hearth. He died instantly." Carn crouched again besides the body. "I'm estimating TOD between one a.m. and three a.m. but I can only know more when we take the body."

Garven nodded. He turned to Fletcher. "We should start talking to witnesses. Someone must have heard the shot."

"Yes, sir!" Fletcher said. "I'll call the base and request more MPs to help." Fletcher walked away to talk with the radio of the jeep. Garven watched him walking towards the jeep before turning his attention back to the body on the ground.

Putting his gloves, Garven crouched besides the body. Now closer, Garven could see more details. The soldier's hair had a military cut: short black hair with a high and tight cut. His open eyes revealed grey irises. He had tanned skin and a muscular built. His face was round and there was evidence of a small beard. In his belt, there was a NCO sword sheeted and a white holster with a Beretta M9. Near his right hand there was a M16A4 rifle. The soldier was wearing the formal white gloves, the left one being red because of the blood. There was a bullet hole in the soldier's chest. "It looks like a nine mil." Garven said, turning to Carn. "Did you find any shells?"

"Our guys are still processing the place but they have found some footprints over there." Carn answered.

Garven nodded. "I'm going to see those footprints." Garven got up and went to the place pointed by Carn. He crouched besides the footprints.

Fletcher approached him after some while. "Captain!" Garven glanced back to him. "The base sent another five men team. ETA in seven minutes." Garven crouched besides Garven. "What did you find, captain?"

Garven pointed towards the footprints. "CSU found these footprints. Do you recognize them?"

Fletcher crouched besides Garven. "I think I have seen them somewhere." He stood up. "It looks like our tactical boots but it can't be. The boots are custom made by military tailors and are only made for military personal or . . ."

"Or for FBI attack teams." Garven completed. Garven pulled Fletcher near him and spoke in low voice. "Cancel the support team. I'm going to contact FBI and ask what to do. Meanwhile, nobody can see anything that is happening here. This can be something much larger than we think."

"You are going to contact your headquarters?" Fletcher interviewed. "But if the killer . . ."

"Don't worry. I'm just going to contact a friend of mine. He is a special agent in charge of a support team." Garven told Fletcher. "But now go! Cancel the support."

While Fletcher ran towards the jeep, Garven picked his portable scrying mirror from his pocket. He asked for his friend's name and, few moments later, a face appeared on the mirror. "I need your help, my friend." Garven said.

_"Garven, old friend, what do you need?"_ The face answered.

"I have a situation." Garven said. "A Marine Security Guard was murdered and . . . Well, it can be either a soldier or FBI."

_"What? Impossible! It can't be!"_

"I thought that too, but we have a problem now. If it is from FBI, the assassin already knows about the investigation. If it's a soldier, he will know soon enough."

_"How many persons know about this?"_

"Ten MPs, four being crime scene analysts. And me, of course."

The man in the glass disappeared but appeared some moments later. _"Take everyone to the Air Force base of Ilirea. There will be a plane waiting for you."_

"What? Why?" Garven was completely confused.

_"I have received disturbing news. I want you out of there as soon as possible. That death is related to a current FBI investigation. I'm taking as many FBI agents as I can."_

"Why?"

_"There will be a message waiting for you. Hurry up."_

"I'll do it." The scrying mirror tuned black for some seconds but then turned and Garven only saw his face reflected in the mirror.

Fletcher walked towards Garven. "I have cancelled the support. What do we do know?"

"We are going to the Air Force base. Every one of us. And we take the body."

Used to the 'don't-ask-just-do' of the army, Fletcher nodded without any questions. "Yes, sir!"

After three quarters of hour, Garven and Fletcher's team were already in front of the C-17 Globemaster III. They entered with the two jeeps to the back of the plane. One of the pilots was there to help them. "Welcome aboard! I'm the co-pilot of this plane." Pointing towards some ropes on the floor and gesturing for the soldiers to join him, he added: "We have to secure your vehicles with this ropes, so they don't move inside the plane."

"We only have the pilot and co-pilot seat aboard, at the moment, so I ask you to remain in your vehicles with your seatbelts on." The co-pilot said, after securing the jeeps. "Which one of you is Garven?"

"I am." Garven said.

"I have a message for you." The co-pilot said, giving Garven a piece of paper. "We will be on air in few moments. Please remain in your seats; it will be a short trip."

Then the co-pilot got back to the cabin. Garven got into the first jeep with Fletcher. Once inside, he finally read the letter.

_Old friend._

_I know I wasn't very specific but I can only tell you more when you are with me. I can tell you that today, 11th September, we received a threat about a terrorist attack with unknown location. I want you here, with me, to investigate this threat._

_I hope you have a safe trip._

_Ajihad._

The man was watching the air. He knew what was coming. And he was expecting it. He smiled as soon as he saw the plane. The Boeing 767 changed his route to his target: the FBI headquarters building. It was a massive building, with ten floors and two towers.

Shortly after, another plane appeared in the sky. It was another Boeing 767 and was also changing its route to the massive building. The man's smile grew wider. He started walking backwards and watched the two planes.

_They are right on schedule._ The man thought.

He watched as the first plane raised his altitude, leveling off, heading straight for one of the towers. The plane gained power and in, the moment later, the plane crashed on the northern side of the tower, pushing it onto the rest of the building.

A cloud of dust formed around the building, occulting most of it. He looked to his watch. _Eight hours and forty six, the right time. _ He smiled and searched for the second plane. There it is. The plane continued its descent into the building. The plane was now quickly approaching the second tower and moments later, it crashed on the southern side of it.

The second tower crashed down onto the rest of the building and the other tower. The cloud of dust intensified itself.

The man smiled and ran towards the hiding place where he had stored his scrying mirror. There was a man already waiting for him. _"I hope everything went as planned."_ The man spoke.

"Yes. Everything went as planned, brother." He said. "Both planes crashed at the time you had planned. First crash occurred at eight hours and forty six. The second at nine hours and three minutes. Both towers fell into the main building."

_"Well done, Shruikan."_ The man in the glass said.

Shruikan smiled. "Thank you, my lord Galbatorix."

Galbatorix watched the sky. The mission in Ilirea, half an hour before, had gone perfectly as planned. Now this was the part two. _The news of the crash will travel fast but, in Doru Areaba, the radio and television station are having some . . . technical problems._ He smiled.

Few moments after the plane appeared in the sky. The last of the hijacked Boeing 767 was starting its descent. It crashed right on the center of the town, right on the perfect place. The place where the explosives were stored.

Galbatorix ran away from the edge of the city and into a small hill nearby. The explosions started right after and propagated towards the underground explosives. Soon the city would become a pile of dust. Galbatorix smiled again. _Perfect! The Fall__ is finally starting._

* * *

******A/N****:** I have given up of the idea of surnames and I will return to the original last names. R&R if you don't understand something._**  
**_


	3. Chapter Three

**A/N: **Here is the third chapter. Hope you like it. Thanks for the reviews.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inheritance Cycle, I just use its characters for my entertainment.

**Reply to Gamer: **I'm hoping to explain everything in one of the next chapters, but the meaning is almost the same.

* * *

**Chapter Three: Hunting and Torture**

Eragon scanned the ground. Near his feet, the tracks of the deer he and Saphira had been tracking for three days. His sister knelt down and analyzed the prints with an experienced eye.

"They were here, not long ago." She said. "Maybe half-hour ago. They can't be very far." Eragon smiled. Since they were bonded, Saphira became a skilled hunter. She could track everyone she wanted, with only a pair of footprints.

Eragon nodded, with a small smile in his face. "They will bed down soon." He looked to the sky. It was almost sundown. The sky was clear, with only some white clouds covering it. "We should hurry. I don't see as well as you during the night." Saphira let out a small laugh.

"Let's go!" Saphira silently ran through the trees. Eragon followed closely. Even being younger than her brother, Saphira had the same weight as Eragon. She had her brother's angular features and her hair had the same brown color as Eragon. But what Eragon thought that was the best in her features were her eyes. Her eyes had the color of sapphires.

Eragon and Saphira followed the tracks through the trees of the Spine, a range of untamed mountains that extended up and down the land of Alagaësia. There were strange tales about those mountains and men often came from there with strange diseases. The only two hunters from Carvahall who dared hunting in the Spine were Eragon and his sister.

The light of the sundown was making the forest dark. All the light was coming from the small parts of the sky that weren't blocked from the trees, but Saphira could easily see the tracks.

"This way." Saphira said, with a low voice. "There is a small clearing where I'm almost sure that they are going to rest." Eragon nodded. Their target was a small doe with a pronounced limp in her left forefoot.

Saphira put her closed fist on the air, signaling Eragon to stop, and crouched. _It's here. _The voice of his sister ran through his head. _There is the herd._

Eragon nodded mentally and crouched beside Saphira, watching to the place pointed by her. The clearing was well lightened by the orange sundown. It revealed more than twenty motionless lumps where the deer lay in the grass. The doe they were after was at the edge of the herd with her left foreleg stretched out in an awkward way.

Eragon prepared his bow. _What's the plan? _He asked.

Saphira though for few moments. She smiled. _Stay here and provide overwatch. I'm going stealth._

Eragon was annoyed for some moments. _Why don't we just shoot the ones we want and then we camp?_

Saphira snorted. _The other does will run when they see your arrow and we need to catch as many as we can._ She smiled slightly. _Besides, you have a lousy shot._

Eragon looked annoyingly to his sister but nodded. _Okay, I will stay here. _He lay on the ground and confirmed he could see the whole clearing. _I'm ready._ A shuffle of leaves behind him told him his sister was gone.

Eragon searched the clearing. He had a perfect overview and could see everything what was going on the clearing. The trees on the other side of the clearing were small, seen from above. The left side of the clearing curved in a semi circle. The right side was made of a small cliff composed of light grey stones, slightly covered by green grass.

A slight shuffle in the bushes in front of him made him look towards there. Eragon could discern the pattern of forest camouflage. He smiled when he stopped seeing the camouflage pattern. Since the bond between the two of them, Saphira had gained various abilities, one of them being the ability of camouflage and stealth.

He watched as the small bushes moved slightly, almost impossible to see. Then a figure jumped from the bushes and landed besides the injured doe. Saphira stabbed a small hunting knife in the neck of the doe. The doe died without any sound while Saphira moved towards the nest doe and killed her.

_Amazing!_ Eragon said, while Saphira moved towards the forth doe, after killing the third one.

Her voice in his mind was calm and sweet. _Thank you, little one!_

_Why do you call me that? I'm older than you!_

Saphira chuckled. _Because now I know much more than you now. _She killed another doe when one of the remaining deer lifted his head. Saphira threw the knife to her and hit her between the eyes. _Eragon, chose your targets. They are waking up._

Eragon smiled. _The fun is finally starting!_ He chose his primary target while Saphira took another knife from her belt and started running to another doe.

_Just try not to shot me, brother!_

**» Few hours later «**

Eragon and Saphira had mounted camp on the small space where Eragon had provided overwatch. They had been eating one of the deer they had caught. The total of their catches was ten does, seven of them being killed by Saphira.

The night had a slight and cold breeze, only lightened by the moonlight from a crescent moon. The stars in the sky were brilliant, some blue, the others white. The sounds of the night were filling their small camp and the shadows of the trees made by their small fire. The small camp was made of two tents with forest camouflage pattern.

Eragon and Saphira were both in front of each one of their tents, planning their return to Carvahall. _Tomorrow morning, we will wake up at dawn._ Saphira started, talking through their minds and confusing Eragon because of her choice of talking.

"Why are you talking through our mental link?" Eragon said, with an eyebrow curved.

A howl made its way towards their ears and Eragon shifted, uncomfortable. _That is why I'm talking through our minds._ She said.

_Okay._ Eragon nodded. _But I know what we have to do already; we have talked about it while we were making camp._

_Yes, I know. _Saphira said. She looked to her brother and saw a strange look in his eyes. Knowing him so well, she said: _We will save her, Eragon._

Eragon snorted, bringing his knees to his chest and embracing them. _We don't even know if she is still alive._

Saphira sighed. _I'm sure she is alive. _Besides her, Eragon's eyes were filing with tears, even if he tried to hide them. _Eragon! Don't lose hope! Arya is a strong woman. And besides, she is an elf._

_You don't even know her!_ Eragon said, getting up. From his eyes, tears had started running down his cheeks._ I'm going to sleep. Good night._

"Eragon!" Saphira whispered, loudly enough for Eragon hear. He didn't turn, entering in his tent.

**«» Arya «»**

"How much do you know about The Empire? How much do you know about Galbatorix?"

She was hearing a cold voice. Someone was asking her questions about things, people that she didn't remember of knowing but that someone repeatedly asked her. She tried to remember. Only this once, so that the pain could go away. The man with cold voice had promised her that. She tried and tried to remember. Nothing. Her head was blank. She couldn't even remember her own name.

Pain raced through her back. She felt the hot blood ran down her back from the place where the whip had hit her. She screamed at the touch of the leather.

"You feel that pain? Will you tell me what I want to know? The pain could all go away if you only told me."

She screamed again, feeling the leather again. She wanted to tell the cold voice man what he wanted to hear. But she couldn't. She couldn't even remember her own name. How could she know what he wanted? She felt the whip again and screamed again. She let the tears ran through her face. "Please . . . I don't know anything!" She said. Her voice was so weak that she wondered if the man had heard.

She heard a cold laugh. "You don't know anything?" The man laughed again. "Well, you asked for it!" The leather touched her skin again. And again. And again. "Just remember this: it's all your fault." He said, whipping her again. "If you had told me what you know, this could all be avoided." Pain. She screamed again. The leather hit her again and again until the man finally stopped. "Please . . ."

The man said nothing. A sound of leather touching the floor and a door opening arrived to her ears. "I will be back. Think better about what you're doing to yourself." She heard a door closing.

She tried to relax, hearing his footsteps. She could feel the blood falling through her back when she tried to relax her body. Her arms were pushed up by the chains falling from the ceiling of the torture chamber. She had been there for hours. She had been cut, whipped and beaten so much that she had forgotten her own name. She had forgotten everything. And, still, the man tortured her.

Footsteps approached. The door opened and closed quickly after. The man had returned.

"So have you decided if you are going to tell me what I want to know or shall I . . . torture you a little more?"

She shivered, hearing his cold voice, and whispered: "Please . . . I don't know . . . I don't remember anything."

The man laughed. "You don't remember?" She couldn't see his face, but heard the sound of steel being lifted. "Well, maybe this will jog your memory."

She felt the burning point of steel touching her back. She screamed again. How could a man be so cruel? The man hit her with the burning steel again. Her vision became blurry. After few more hits, she passed out.

**. . .**

_Where am I?_

She opened her eyes. She was still on the dark torture chamber with her arms still pushed up by the chains. She felt pain in her back and the blood running down her skin. Her memories from the torture she had been suffering for so long came back to her mind, tormenting her again. She remembered every single touch of the burning steel and of the whip. She remembered everything that even made her forgetting her own name.

A movement in the cell scared her. She heard as light footsteps came over from behind her. "Are you awake, elf?" She didn't answer. She knew that cold voice. The cold voice that tortured her through all those hours. She felt a slight rage running through her body. _How can a man be so cruel?_

"You are awake." Her heart raced. _How does he know?_

Steel being picked up. Footsteps going closer. Her breathings were now as quick as her heart beat.

Silence. The footsteps ceased. The only sound she could hear was her quick breathing and the faint quick heart beat.

And then pain.

Pain raced across her back as the burning steel touched her skin. She arched her back and screamed. Memories of every kind started coming back to her mind and she used them to try to hide the pain. She remembered her name.

_I'm Arya. Special Agent Arya Dröttning._

"Now, you will remember." The cold voice man whispered in her hear. "Now, you will beg for your life."

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for being a short chapter . . . R&R


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